five months old!

Our babbling ball of energy is 5 months old today! He has been such a blessing. He is a little flirt, picking up cougar girlfriends at HEB every week. He talks nonstop, unless he is completely enthralled, which does happen occasionally. He even babbles in his sleep, like his dad. He may look like me, but he is just like his dad.

At 5 months old, Ethan:

• LOVES Bear. Bear is Ethan's favorite thing. No matter how upset Ethan is, if you get him close to Bear, he will giggle, or at the very least, calm down.
• Rolls his way around his play mats - front to back to front to back.
• Is a little scooter! He actually just wedged his little head under the couch a while ago. Since he didn't cry about it, I'm guessing it was probably more frightening for me than it was painful for him.
• Hates his car seat. I've learned that errands must be run right after nap/feeding him, and that I had better get through the grocery store quick, otherwise I'll be carrying him through the store, as I did today...
• Still sleeps fairly well, about 8-10 hours, though most nights we do have to pat him back to sleep around 1-2 in the morning.
• Is a bouncing machine. He really enjoys his doorway bouncer and the Excersaucer! They're helping him stand a little better.
• Is really flexible. He loves sticking his feet in his mouth! (He actually was doing this on one ultrasound!)

In summary, this little boy is absolutely dying to be mobile, and Austin and I know that the end of the "blob" phase is near. I'll say that we can't wait for him to be able to sit up in a grocery cart. Shopping with a baby who hates his stroller/car seat but can't sit up is torture.

His schedule has changed a bit over the last month. I've learned that his first nap comes quickly after waking up - as though he had to wake up to eat, but really, he just wants to go back to sleep. It's a struggle keeping him up for two hours, and if it were a perfect world, he would stay up for three. His other wake times are typically about 2.5-3 hours, followed by a 45-60 minute nap. One nap in the day will typically be a little longer - about 1.5-2 hours - and without that longer nap, he can really have a bad day! Now that I am a full-time stay-at-home mom, I base my schedule around Ethan, and I don't mind his idiosyncrasies!

We are looking forward to the joys his 6th month will bring! The last 5 months have passed so quickly, they give new meaning to James 4:14; these little moments, small joys and frustrations, are each part of a vanishing mist.

xo,